Jerry Gates of North Versailles was revered for his commitment and care toward others, especially the blind.

	Jerry Gates Click photo for larger image.

"He would remain standing in freezing cold weather to collect funds for the blind people during the White Cane Day," said Pam Edwards, Mr. Gates' daughter who is a paramedic in East McKeesport. "All his life he has tried to help others."

Robert Jerome Gates died at his home of bladder cancer on Tuesday. He was 72.

Relatives and friends said he always aspired to excellence, whether in his job or as a volunteer. He earned the highest sales award while he was working as a tire salesman at Alray Tires in Braddock, his relatives said.

After completing high school at Braddock, Mr. Gates joined the Army in December 1954 and was honorably discharged two years later.

Starting as a salesman, he rose through the ranks and bought Alray after the owner retired in 1984.

The next year, Mr. Gates joined McMasters United Methodist Church in Turtle Creek and served as an elder and usher, Mrs. Edwards said.

"After his retirement from Alray [Tires] in 2001, my father became very active in fund raising for the blind and started to give more time to the Lions Club."

After collecting the money, the Lions Club men give it to Braddock General Hospital to buy equipment to treat the blind, she said.

"He was a person who used to take care of others always," said Eddie Thomas, a longtime friend who lives in Monroeville.

He had a strong love for gardening going back to his childhood, Mrs. Edwards said as she recalled her father having vegetable and flower gardens around his house in Braddock before he moved to North Versailles in 1962, where he also had his garden.

"When he was a child, he had his garden on the rooftop. He even had his garden behind the tire store," Mrs. Edwards said.

Family was very important to Mr. Gates.

He started his decorating for Christmas in October every year so that he could have the light-up ceremony after Thanksgiving, Mrs. Edwards said.

"He used to have such fireworks at his house on July 4th that the whole neighborhood, including policemen, used to visit the house," said Mrs. Edwards.

"He always had good health before first noticing the aggressive cancer 11 months ago," said Tim Gates, Mr. Gates' son, of Kittanning.

An addition to his wife, Nancy, Mr. Gates is survived by his brother, Ken Gates, of Florida; daughters Kim Gates of Munhall and Tam Gates of Wall; son Sam Gates, of Louisville, Ky., 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Friends will be received at Alfieri Funeral Home in Wilmerding from 2 to 9 p.m. today.

A service will be held at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, with another service at 10:30 a.m. the McMasters United Methodist Church, 200 Church St., Turtle Creek. He will be buried at Grandview Cemetery at North Versailles.